Page 5 - Health and Healing Through Nature Article
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In the Local Community
Intervention Result/Outcome
Nearby trees/grass Increased social activities and use of outdoors space 11
Exposure to urban nature Stress relief from lower levels of “the stress hormone” cortisol 15
environments
Natural/built water scenery Increased attractiveness and willingness to revisit
Increased positive affect
Increased perceived restorativeness 16
Wilderness vs. urban Wilderness is more enjoyable, friendly, natural, and sacred feeling 17
scenery viewing
Natural environment Increase in self-reported positive emotion18
simulation
Walking in park Decreased heart rate
Better mood 19
Nature views with Faster recovery from ailment
subsequent stressors Increase in resistance to high levels of “the stress hormone” cortisol
on subsequent stressors 20
Stress recovery with viewing Faster, more complete recovery with natural vs. urban imagery
different settings More stable emotional state from nature viewing sessions 21
Viewing urban forest Decreased sympathetic (“fight or flight”), increased parasympathetic
landscapes (“calming”), and increased mood 22
Patient after Room with window have decreased post-operative days in hospital vs.
cholecystectomy surgery without window 23
Viewing charismatic macro- Viewing large animals (such as at a zoo or wildlife preserve) has
and megafauna (large see shown improvement in quality of life on self-report 61
and land animals)
Nature and Healing - David Bilstrom, MD 5
